Ocean Waves and Heartbeats
by sleapyGazelle
Summary: When the Earthlings mention a tradition called a secret santa, Coran helps the Paladins organize one in the castleship. The event helps with the holiday cheer but also has an unintended consequence when Keith and Lance draw each other's names. Written for the klance holiday exchange 2017. Crossposted from AO3.


"A secret what?" Coran asked, as he entered the lounge. Allura was paying close attention to something Hunk was saying.

"A Secret Santa! Hunk, you're a genius!" Lance exclaimed, answering Coran without meaning to. In his excitement, Lance drew up his legs to sit cross-legged on the couch, and Coran bit back a reproach. He was too interested in this secret.

"There should be no secrets between paladins," he said slyly, knowing of course that someone would elaborate.

"A Secret Santa is a fun kind of secret," Hunk assured, "which gets revealed at the end."

Lance took over explaining. "Everyone puts their names into a hat or something, and everyone picks out a name randomly. Then you're supposed to get a present for whoever's name you drew, but you can't tell anyone who you're gifting. Of course they find out it's you when you give your gift, but until then, it's a secret."

Lance said all this faster than the red lion could fly, but Coran thought he got the gist of it. "Ah, a gift exchange!"

Hunk nodded. "Basically."

Allura clasped her hands together. "Well, it sounds wonderful! Let's do it."

Hunk looked very pleased with the Alteans' reactions. "I just figured, we've been out here in space for months, and it's close to the end of the year." He gave Lance a small, almost-sad smile. "It'll be a way to remember the family back home and to celebrate our found family here."

Lance returned the smile, but looked away quickly to hide his watering eyes. Coran saw Lance's subtle attempt to wipe an escaping tear with the back of his finger. Feeling a heaviness in his own throat at the sight, Coran promised himself this secret santa would be as memorable as possible for his Earthlings.

* * *

And so the whole squad gathered in the lounge again. Scraps of paper with everyone's names were folded and dropped into the black helmet, which now was being vigorously shaken by Coran. Allura had suggested using the computer to generate the matches; but Coran liked the charm of this ancient way, and the Earthlings had agreed. So it was settled. Coran decided to moderate for the sake of keeping everything organized.

"Who's going to draw first?" Allura asked eagerly, trying to peer into the helmet.

"I hope I get you, Allura," Lance said to her. "I'll get you something sparkly." He winked to emphasize his point, and from beside him, Keith rolled his eyes.

Allura replied with one of her kind but diplomatic smiles.

"I'm thinking of a number between one and six," Coran said, looking between them all. "Lance, you're up," he announced after a moment. "Then Pidge, Allura, Hunk, Shiro, followed by Keith."

"I still don't get that. Why don't we guess the number?" Lance muttered, stepping up to draw. He pulled out a slip and read it. The tips of his ears promptly turned pink. He stuffed the paper in his jeans pocket and went to stand by Hunk, the opposite end of the line as where he had been before.

Coran smiled to himself; he had a feeling he knew whom Lance had drawn.

* * *

Coran drew up the list of matches to keep things organized. He decided to give the paladins a few days to think before they came running to him for help. And sure enough, a couple of days after the drawing had happened, Lance came to him one evening, looking worried.

"Hey, so I was wondering," Lance began when Coran asked him to spill the _beans_ , as the Earthlings' saying went. "How exactly are we supposed to go about getting a gift? I know I was the one most excited about the Secret Santa, but now that it's happening, I don't really have anything to gift," he finished sheepishly.

"Well that won't do!" Coran stroked his chin. "How did you normally get gifts back on your planet?"

"The mall?" Lance said, and then his whole face lit up. "Of course! The Space Mall! Can we go back there, Coran?"

"Hmm." Coran had war flashbacks to escaping Varkon the mall cop on a cow on a hoverboard. "I don't see why not. We'll just have to disguise ourselves—properly this time—so we're not recognized.

Lance slumped in relief. "Awesome! Thanks, Coran!"

* * *

Taking some time off from diplomatic missions for holiday shopping, the squad stepped foot in the pirate trading market, or as it was known these days, the _mall_. At the very entrance was a holoscreen with five Wanted posters, bearing a security camera photo of Coran in his pirate disguise and Lance, Pidge, Hunk, and Keith without theirs. Well, at least Coran looked handsome in his photo. They'd been expecting the posters and had dressed accordingly. Coran was in a new disguise—a flowy red cape pinned to his shoulders, hair slicked down over his eyes. The others had chosen their own outfits this time and were looking off in different directions at the stores.

"Let's all meet back at the entrance in two vargas," Coran suggested. "Should be enough time to find what you need." Everyone agreed and started to branch out.

"Something sparkly," Pidge muttered under her breath with a sidelong glance at Allura as she made her way toward what looked like a jewelry shop.

Keith had set off down the main conveyor, peering into shop windows at random. Lance was soon the only one still left standing by the entrance, watching Keith with a look of frustrated appreciation.

Coran chuckled and walked up to him, putting an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Something the matter?"

"Keith's hair just looks extra-stupid in that ponytail," he sighed dramatically, referring to Keith's disguise.

"Hopefully he looks different enough not to be recognized," Coran mused. "Now go off and buy him something."

"I don't know what he'd like," Lance said nervously, flushing lightly.

"I'm sure he'd love anything given with lo— I mean, good spirit! You'll figure it out!" He gave Lance a hearty clap on the back.

With a nod, Lance set off in the opposite direction Keith had gone, a determined spring to his step.

While the paladins did their shopping, Coran wandered, letting his interest catch in the various windows. If they were each buying a gift for each other, that left Coran open to get something for all of them. Why should they only have one gift when they could have two? Now, what did the paladins need that they didn't already have? His gaze fell to a shop with a sign advertising "Terra, the latest in Earth fashions." Perfect.

* * *

Gifting time. Excitement was high. Everyone was seated on the couches in the lounge with their presents in the shiny golden wrapping paper Allura had bought.

"Alright, let's see. Who'll go first? Allura?"

With a delighted smile, the princess stood up and announced she'd drawn Shiro's name. Shiro stood and faced her shyly, and she presented him with her package. He opened it to reveal a purple lava lamp.

"You can keep it on your bedside table. It senses how well you're sleeping and plays soothing sounds to improve your sleep quality if needed," she explained.

Shiro turned it over in appreciation. "It's beautiful! Thank you!"

Allura beamed.

Hunk went next, giving Pidge a pair of glasses that doubled as a computer, which she was of course delighted with.

It was Lance's turn next; his face was dusted a faint pink as he stood up and faced Keith, not quite looking him in the eyes. "I got Keith," he announced, to snickers and looks of glee.

Keith flushed even darker than Lance as he stood to receive the small box.

"Go on, open it!" encouraged Pidge, a glint of mischief in her eye.

The boys avoided each other's gaze as Keith tore off the wrapping and opened the box. Inside was a single amethyst earring shaped like the Voltron V. Keith stared at it, his blush darkening and spreading to his neck.

"I noticed that your ear is pierced, just the one. And I wanted you to have something to remember us by when you're off with the Marmorites," said Lance. "You know, just a token of Team Voltron. Plus it'll match your eyes," he added to a wolf whistle from Pidge.

"Thank you, Lance," Keith finally said earnestly. "I love it."

Their faces were matching glowing sunsets as they made to sit back down, but Coran decided to prolong this moment because it finally looked like they were getting somewhere.

"Uh, hold on; don't sit yet. Keith, why don't you go next?"

Keith swallowed, then nodded. "Lance, I got you."

"O-Oh."

"Crazy coincidence," Coran commented, even though he believed more in fate himself. "I suppose it was because we had only six participants."

"So I'd already made my gift before we went to the mall," began Keith.

"Made?" asked Hunk with interest.

"Yeah." Keith passed the package over.

Lance opened it to reeval a realistic monochrome drawing of Lance beaming out of the page.

A chorus of "That's so cool" and "So pretty" and a couple of ooh's and aah's sounded around them. "You made me look so handsome," Lance said appreciatively, staring at the drawing.

"You _are_ hand—" Keith cut himself off but not before Lance's smile grew to match the drawing's.

"Keith thinks I'm handsome," he singsonged, trying to look smug, but mostly just looking pleased. Keith crossed his arms and looked away.

"And you said his eyes are pretty, so it's even," Pidge called out, leaving Lance to stammer about how she was putting words in his mouth.

Keith cleared his throat, seeming determined to see this through. "And when we went to the space mall, I got you this." He pulled a long thin box from his utility belt and presented it to Lance.

" _Two_ gifts?" Lance said excitedly.

"Don't worry, I'm going to draw stuff for the rest of you too," Keith quickly assured the others.

"I'm putting mine up on the wall in my room," Lance said as he opened the second package. It was a bracelet with a looping animation of ocean waves running all along its length.

"Coran mentioned to me how much you miss the beach back home," Keith explained, subtly fidgeting with his fingers.

Lance's blush was back in full force. "Iloveitthanks," he said in a high voice before clearing his throat and repeating himself more slowly.

"Alright!" Coran clapped his hands together. "Shiro, you're next."

After Shiro and Pidge finished up, Coran clasped his hands behind his back and was about to reveal the grand surprise that was his gifts for them all, when Allura beat him to it. The princess signaled Shiro, who signaled the others, and to Coran's shock, they each pulled out a 'Universe's Best Uncle' piece of paraphernalia—a black mug from Shiro, a green pullover from Pidge, bright blue sunglasses from Lance, a red-accented knife from Keith (who sold Universe's Best Uncle _knives_?), a yellow night robe from Hunk, and pink sweatpants from Allura. Each item proclaimed 'Universe's Best Uncle' in bright orange lettering. Coran took a deep breath; his lip was trembling and he did his best to steady it. Best was a given, but surely he was the Universe's _Luckiest_ Uncle.

* * *

Coran was setting the table the next morning when Lance sauntered in, hands in the pockets of his new jeans and shoulders slumped. Coran almost asked him what the matter was, when he decided not to. Something told him the answer had to do with Keith being away with the Blade of Marmora again, and he didn't think Lance would be honest if he asked about it.

So when Keith came in, yawning broadly, Lance jumped. "Keith! When did you get back?"

"Late last night," he said. "Didn't want to wake anyone." He was wearing his new red sweats, hair tied back to reveal Lance's earring. Lance noticed this and lowered his head to hide his smile.

The others started to file in for breakfast too, and Keith's attention was pulled to questions about his latest mission with the Blade. Lance turned to his bowl and as he reached for his spoon, his sleeve rode up to reveal the waves of water bracelet. Keith's eyes were drawn to it even as he told Shiro about sneaking aboard a Galra ship, and he smiled.

Keith's gaze kept flashing to Lance throughout mealtime, lingering each time. Lance flushed a shade darker whenever he noticed. When breakfast was over, everyone left one by one to go do their own thing, until Keith and Lance were the only ones left. Coran retreated into the kitchen, but alas the walls here were thin, purposely designed so that the servers in the kitchen could hear when someone called.

"So Lance," Keith began casually. "You know what else happened on my mission yesterday?"

"Huh?"

"I kept hearing your heartbeat." Keith tapped his earring. "You could've told me what it did when you gave it to me. I thought I was going mad until I figured it out."

"What are you talking about?" Lance sounded genuinely nonplussed.

"You don't know?" There was a pause in which Lance must've shaken his head before Keith continued. "I thought it was random but during breakfast today I realized it's not. I think it happens when you're thinking about me."

A silence—one part accusing and one part guilty—stretched for a moment before Lance blurted, "How is that possible?"

"I stopped asking myself that years ago."

"But my heartbeat? How can an earring…? Maybe Coran can explain it."

Uh oh.

Sure enough, both boys burst into the kitchen a moment later. "Keith says the earring I gave him lets him hear my heartbeat; is that possible?"

Coran sighed. There was only one way to settle this. "Let me see it."

With some reluctance, Keith removed the earring and handed it over. Coran took it in hand, examining it closely. "Ah yes. This is no ordinary piece of jewelry. My dear paladins, this is a kealdstone. It _can_ of course be perfectly ordinary; but when presented with love, it forms a bond between the giver and the receiver. The receiver hears the giver's heartbeat every time the giver thinks about how much they love…" He trailed off when he saw their faces. It looked as if all the blood in their bodies had pooled into their faces. That didn't look good. "I'll uh, catch you around eh?" he said uncomfortably and backed out of the kitchen, sensing that Keith and Lance had some talking to do. They were staring at each other and Coran was able to slip away.

"You could've just _said_ something," Coran heard Keith accuse. "I love you too, dumbass."

Smiling to himself, Coran hurried out of earshot.


End file.
